1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus which is connected on a network and has printer and copy functions, and a control method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, upon using a plurality of computers (information processing apparatuses) and image processing apparatuses, it is a common practice to connect these apparatuses via a local area network (LAN). PCs (personal computers, also called information processing apparatuses), image processing apparatuses such as a printer, scanner, facsimile, and the like, which are connected to a LAN, can communicate with each other via the network. In recent years, a multifunction peripheral, which integrates a plurality of functions such as a printer function, scanner function, facsimile function, and the like as a multifunctional system, is known. This multifunction peripheral normally has a function of connecting to a LAN.
These image processing apparatuses normally have a security setting function. (e.g., see patent reference 1 and the like). The security setting function is provided for various purposes such as assurance of security of transfer data, defense against attacks via the network, limitations on PCs that can use the image processing apparatuses, and the like.
The security setting often includes information about the network address (IP address) and physical address (MAC (Media Access Control) address) of each PC serving as a communication partner. An example of the security function includes a filter function which permits or inhibits a communication from (or to) a terminal at the designated IP address or MAC address. Also, another example of the security function includes IPsec which sets security to have one-to-one correspondence between the multifunction peripheral and PC. The filter function sets and saves the address information of a source or destination whose communication is to be permitted or inhibited as a communication permitted or inhibited address. The IPsec sets and saves the IP address or the like of a communication partner using the IPsec as a security setting. In addition to the security setting, network information of the PC is registered in an address book stored in each image processing apparatus, and is used upon data transmission. For example, the multifunction peripheral can transmit image data which is read by its own scanner to the PC on the network using SMB (Server Message Block). In this case, the SMB uses the IP address and host name of the PC as a destination. That is, as the identification of the PC registered in the address book, the IP address and host name are used.
[Patent reference 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-345552
As for a given PC on the LAN, if that PC must be replaced due to a failure or the like, the PC before the replacement and that after the replacement may have different identification information contents such as IP addresses, MAC addresses, and the like used to identify the PCs. For this reason, when the identification of that PC is registered as the security setting, address book, or the like on the image processing apparatus side, these pieces of identification information need be updated according to the replacement of the PC. That is, the image processing apparatus must delete the registered contents associated with the old PC before the replacement, and must register identification information and the like of the new PC after the replacement. Since the administrator of the network or the user of the PC must manually input these settings, operations are troublesome and readily cause setting errors.